English and American Literatures

English and American Literatures is the workbook for self-study and as a basis for introductory courses in English and American literary studies. Here you will find compact basic knowledge about: - the analysis of lyrical, narrative, and dramatic texts - methods and theories of literary studies - the preparation for presentations, term papers, and exams The volume is written in English and tailored to the conditions at universities in German-speaking countries. Numerous examples, guiding questions, checklists, and exercises provide helpful tools for the systematic reading and scholarly interpretation of literature from the first semester on.

Michael Meyer ist Professor für Anglistik an der Universität Koblenz.

Prefaces VII1 Introduction 11.1 What is literature? 41.2 Literary criticism 101.3 Literary history 141.4 Bibliography 182 Poetry 212.1 What are poetic texts and what do we (ab)use them for? 222.2 Communication, speaker, situation and topic 262.3 Rhetorical form 302.4 Poetic form 452.4.1 Metre and rhythm 452.4.2 Phonological forms, stanzas and types of poems 502.5 Postmodern poetry 572.6 Guiding questions and exercises 582.7 Bibliography 623 Narrative 653.1 Oral and written narratives 663.2 Discourse 693.2.1 Narrative situations 703.2.2 Voice and focalisation 773.2.3 Time 873.3 Story 903.4 Fiction and metafiction 983.5 Guiding questions and exercises 1023.6 Bibliography 1084 Drama 1134.1 Dramatic text and theatrical performance 1144.2 Dramatic speech 1184.3 Character and action 1274.4 Space and time 1354.5 Genres and metadrama 1414.6 Guiding questions and exercises 1464.7 Bibliography 1535 Literary Theory 1575.1 The Author 1615.1.1 Psychoanalysis 1635.2 Text and code 1695.2.1 New Criticism 1695.2.2 Formalism, structuralism and semiotics 1715.2.3 Deconstructivism, post-structuralism and postmodernism 1765.3 Context 1815.3.1 Marxism and cultural materialism 1815.3.2 New Historicism 1875.3.3 Feminism and gender studies 1905.3.4 Postcolonialism and multiculturalism 1955.4 Reader 2015.5 Bibliography 2076 Research papers, presentations and examinations 2136.1 Academic standards 2146.2 Getting organised 2146.3 Writing a term paper 2156.3.1 Defining topic, purpose and approach 2156.3.2 Research for and use of secondary material 2206.3.3 Writing the first draft 2286.3.4 Revising the paper 2296.3.5 Documentation 2326.4 Presentation 2346.5 Oral and written examinations 2386.6 Bibliography 2407 Appendix 2477.1 Analyses 2487.2 Index 2547.3 Acknowledgements 264